61-Year-Old Man Dramatically Plunges Off Unfinished Bridge After GPS Misguides Route In Indonesia (VIDEO) | (Photo Courtesy: X/@PeteLiquid)
Indonesia: In shocking incident from East Java, Indonesia, a 61-year-old man drove his car off an unfinished flyover after reportedly getting confused by Google Maps directions. The driver, identified as Rudie Heru Komandono, and his passenger miraculously survived the 40ft drop with only minor injuries. The dramatic event took place on April 9, as Rudie was following GPS directions to a friend’s house, as per a report by Daily Mail.
Rudie was driving his BMW 3 Series with the navigation app mounted on the car’s dashboard. Although the app had rerouted him to avoid the incomplete highway, he missed the exit and instead drove through a gap in a concrete barrier, which led him straight onto the unfinished bridge.
Have a video of the incident was captured on CCTV. Have a look:
Dramatic Fall Caught on Camera
Footage from the scene showed Rudie’s car plunging off the edge of the flyover and crashing onto the road below. Fortunately, no other vehicles were hit during the incident, though two cars and a motorbike had passed by just moments before the fall.
Rudie later told Daily Mail, “The road suddenly became dark and there were no other cars. Then I realised there was a problem when the car started falling and crashed on the ground.” He further told the publication, “My friend said she is not getting in the car with me again. But it was not my fault. I was trying to follow the GPS on my phone, but it was confusing. I’m worried about the insurance for the car. I don’t think it can be repaired.”
Authorities Close Safety Gaps
Inspector Aswoko, Gresik Police, told Daily Mail that Rudie had entered a restricted construction area by passing through a traffic barrier gap. “The driver and passenger have been treated by a doctor at the hospital and did not suffer serious injuries. They have been allowed to go home,” he said.
Authorities have since sealed the barrier and are installing warning signs to avoid similar accidents. “Traffic officers have taken measures to prevent an incident from happening again. The construction company will also be interviewed to discover why the bridge was not fully sealed off,” Inspector Aswoko added.
In a similar GPS-related tragedy last year, three men died in India after driving off another unfinished bridge after following outdated navigation directions.
